Personality, Development and Attachment

Question 1

What is personality shaped by?

Answer 1

Relationships, environment & genetics

Question 2

What do insecurely attached or traumatised people find difficult?

Answer 2

To express their needs and/or accept help

Question 3

What is it important to understand a P’s past?

Answer 3

It helps us adapt our response to the individual.

Question 4

What do children need to do in order to meet their milestones?

Answer 4

Develop a relationship with at least one primary caregiver.

Question 5

What does a primary caregiver represent to a baby?

Answer 5

A secure base from which to explore the world.

Question 6

Apart from infancy, which other period of development is critical?

Answer 6

Adolescence

Question 7

When do we develop a clear understanding of who we are (identity) and transfer our attachment from a parent to a sexual partner?

Answer 7

Adolescence

Question 8

Who said we learn by observing and imitating others?

Answer 8

Bandura

Question 9

Which group of theories emphasise the importance of early childhood experience and the existence of unconscious inner forces that shape our behaviour?

Answer 9

Psychoanalytic therories

Question 10

Who pioneered attachment theory?

Answer 10

John Bowlby

Question 11

Which theory stipulates that in order for an infant’s healthy development to take place , they need to have a secure relationship with at least one primary attachment figure?

Answer 11

Attachment theory

Question 12

Which group of children did Bowlby study when formulating his theory?

Answer 12

Children who were evacuated in the war.

Question 13

What are our inner feelings called - those who describe who we are, whether we are loveable and whether we feel safe to explore the world?

Answer 13

Internal working model

Question 14

What affects our internal working model?

Answer 14

Our earliest, special, social relationships.

Question 15

What do different levels of attachment have implications on?

Answer 15

A child’s social and emotional development

Question 16

What is the name for actions which babies use to bring about closeness with their caregiver (e.g. smilie, crying, clinging etc).

Answer 16

Attachment behaviours

Question 17

What are attachment behaviours designed to do?

Answer 17

Make the caregiver respond to the baby - and look after them physically & emotionally.

Question 18

What affects how a mother parents her baby?

Answer 18

Her own internal working model - which is based on her childhood experiences growing up.

Question 19

At what age has the baby developed an intense attachment to the main caregiver?

Answer 19

6 months

Question 20

In what period can babies only tolerate separation for a limited period?

Answer 20

six months - 3 years.

Question 21

Who worked closely with Bowlby and what experiment did they devise?

Answer 21

Mary Ainsworth

The strange situation

Question 22

Who developed the classification of attachment styles in infancy?

Answer 22

Ainsworth

Question 23

What is the strange situation experiment?

Answer 23

Mother is in a strange playroom with baby - series of experiments involving strangers entering the room and mother leaving the room - assesses the baby’s response to these things.

Question 24

What are the three styles of attachment according to Ainsworth?

Answer 24

Secure
Avoidant
Ambivalent

Question 25

Which type of attachment is this:-

Infancy expects their distress to be met with comfort and reassurance - they can be soothed when mother returns to the room and return to play.

Answer 25

Secure attachment

Question 26

Why are certain children securely attached?

Answer 26

Caregiver is responsive and attuned to the child’s needs. Respond promptly and accurately.

Question 27

Which type of attachment is this?

Infant has adapted to less responsive caregiving - they have learnt not to seek comfort from the caregiver. Instead they develop strategies to manage their feelings alone. They are not overly upset and ignore mother when she returns to the room, but are unable to play freely.

Answer 27

Avoidant (Insecure)

Question 28

Why are certain children Avoidantly attached?

Answer 28

Caregivers tend to have a practical rather than personal attitude and interact with their babies less.

Question 29

Which type of attachment is this?

Infants tend to display high levels of vigilance - are panicked by separation and seek reassurance in an urgent manner but do not respond to soothing. They both cling to mother and fight her off when she returns.

Answer 29

Ambivalent (insecure)

Question 30

What makes children ambivalently attached?

Answer 30

Caregivers who respond unpredictably to their infant’s needs and are insensitive to their signals.

Question 31

What type of attachment is this?

Children behave in strange ways when their caregiver has returned - e.g. curling up or rocking backwards and forwards.

Answer 31

Disorganised response (insecure)

Question 32

What makes children show a disorganised response?

Answer 32

Often when caregiver is seen as both a source of fear and as a source of reassurance - often associated with physical or sexual abuse, loss/trauma, or socioeconomic risks.

Question 33

What type of attached child is this?

They have inner representation that they are lovable and are responsive to other interactions in the world.

Answer 33

Securely attached

Question 34

What type of attached child is this?

They are not worthy of care - have an “other” who does not care - they repress longing and anger in order not drive the “other” even further away.

Answer 34

Insecure-avoidant

Question 35

What type of attached child is this?

Picture of self that is not lovable - and has unpredictable “other” who has to be manipulated/coerced into caring.

Answer 35

Insecure-ambivalent

Question 36

What type of attached child is this?

Has chaotic ways of relating to others, feels underserving of love.

Answer 36

Insecure-Disorganised

Question 37

Are internal working models permanent?

Answer 37

They are not fixed - they can be repaired through therapy or if they find a partner who has a different style - allows them to modify their behaviour as an adult.

Question 38

What is used to measure attachment styles in adults?

Answer 38

Adult Attachment Interview

Question 39

Why is it important to determine a patient’s attachment style?

Answer 39

Insecurely attached patients may find it more difficult to express thoughts and feelings than securely attached. If you have a trustworthy relationship with the P you can create a secure base where difficulties can be disclosed and worked through.

Question 40

How do patients with personality disorders present?

Answer 40

May have problematic coping strategies (associated with traumatic early life experiences).

Fragile sense of self, fears metal fragmentation.

Individual will usually experience interpersonal difficulties which leads them into conflict with others.

May exhibit negative behaviours - such as self injury

Question 41

What do successful therapeutic interactions require?

Answer 41

Clinician responding in a way which communicates understanding of P in a safe & secure environment, using appropriate voice, facial expression and gestures towards traumatised patients.

Question 42

What do you have to try to avoid with traumatised patients?

Answer 42

Re-traumatising them

Question 43

What does the non trauma-informed approach view behaviours of traumatised patients as?

Answer 43

Dysfunctional e.g. attention seeking

Question 44

What should you ask a traumatised patient?

Answer 44

Whats happened to you? (Rather than what is wrong with you?)